Cartographers

The Visscher family was an important art dealer and map publisher in Amsterdam for almost a century. Claes J. Visscher (1587-1652) was likely a student of Jodocus Hondius.

Claes founded the business and beginning in 1620 he designed a number of individual maps. He purchased copper plates from Pieter van den Keere, brother in law of Hondius and notable map maker in his own right. The maps of Visscher’s first atlas were based upon them. His maps and those based upon van den Keere’s plates contained historical battle scenes which are attributed to Visscher and admired for their artistic beauty. Not unusual was the appearance of the Latinized family name “Piscator” on some of his maps.

After Visscher’s death his son and grandson, Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679) and Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702), published a number of atlases, updated with newly discovered information. The grandson’s widow carried on the business until it finally passed into the hands of Pieter Schenk.